A camera-horder’s guide to picking a camera for a trip

Shooting film opens up a world of beautiful and affordable cameras from the past - but once you’ve started a small collection (or a huge one) the moment we dread is when we need to pick a camera setup for a personal trip.

The thought process always starts simple but highlights the compromises we make in every aspect of photography: portable 35mm or epic medium format? Compact slow lenses or carry big heavy fast ones? Will I only carry black and white film or try to mix in a colour roll? If I leave the tripod at home, then I’ll regret it, right? Should I bring a digital camera as backup, or will my phone do the job?

Turns out, I’ve chosen a different set up for almost every vacation, and each time it works out just fine. I’ve hauled around a Hasselblad 500 with an 80mm lens on one trip to Yorkshire, a Leica M2 with a compact 35mm f3.5 around Rome, and I’ve spent a weekend in New York with a Stereo Realist and came home with great shots.

Here are some tips to make the most with what you have:

1. One lens can imitate three. You can crop into a frame to effectively increase your focal length. You can stitch images together to create a wider shot. A normal lens can be very versatile for this purpose, as well as often being quite compact.

2. Carrying two cameras can make you feel overwhelmed, and you could lose shots and enjoyment as a result. If you are travelling with family, they will love you more if you have only one camera and one lens.

3. Leave any ‘just in case’ items at home. Unless you are intentionally out to get some night shots, a tripod will just weigh you down. The light meter can stay at home, too, because you can get a light meter app for you phone that will do the job (or just use sunny 16). Extension tubes and tele-converters never seem to be worth their volume in my bag either. Some exceptions could include red or polarizing filters that can help reduce shutter speed in bright sun, as well as provide some creative possibilities.

4. No camera is too crazy or too limiting. There is a lot to be said for being creative with something unusual like a Box Brownie or a stereo camera. The problem-solving required to use a restrictive or quirky camera will pay dividends when you get back home to your digital rig.

5. Lastly, don’t worry about the equipment you didn’t bring. Play to your setup’s strengths. For example, I’ve often carried an Olympus Pen FT for its compactness - the images can turn out grainy because of the small negative size, but doubling the number of shots on the roll meant less fear of wasting film for an experimental shot.

And if you totally made the wrong decision for the trip, there’s usually a camera store with used film equipment in a nearby city. One more for the collection, right?

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

Canon 30-700mm DO - don't read old reviews

There are few online reviews of this old, now discontinued, lens. They were favorable but complained of low-contrast images and a high price tag (about $1,150 new). These two factors are no longer relevant - software can increase contrast, and the lens sells for about $500 on the used market. 

Canon's diffractive optics proof of concept

 The Canon 70-300mm DO was originally expensive because it was one of the first tests of 'diffractive optics' in a Canon lens. This used a saw-toothed fresnel lens to magnify an image while keeping the un-zoomed length of the lens to a minimum - at the expense of some contrast and a small maximum aperture (f4.5-5.6). Its closest focus distance is 1.4 metres.

Historically, the lens competed against the better, and larger Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS (which is compatible with Canon's extenders. unlike the DO), along with the 50% cheaper, and larger,  EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM. At the original selling price, the DO was a tough sell - only people who valued its short length as a compact travel lens would pony up the cash.

But then the DO lens got older. The price came down. I also think the mediocre reviews (based on the high price tag) contributed to the massive reduction in the used price of the lens. The only other reservation you might have about this lens is the variable f4.5-5.6 aperture, but again, modern cameras and software compensate for this with excellent high-ISO quality that was unheard of when this lens was first released. Another bonus compared to its zoom equivalents - its black rather than “look-at-my-expensive-lens” white.

The best travel lens set for Canon

So when the DO is viewed in today's context - a low priced compact lens - it is a no-brainer for a small travel kit. I pair it with the 40mm pancake lens when taking a digital camera on trips. The 40mm stays on the camera and the DO comes out when the extra reach is needed. If the DO is on the camera, the 40mm can be in a trouser pocket. 

You can see some examples of images taken with this lens (including many of my own) through the Instagram tag #canon70300doisusm.

For those of you on the fence about getting an old 70-300mm DO lens, there has never been a better time to get one.

Assembling a photography filter set

Filters are an added layer of complication to the already infinite variables in making an exposure, but they can be used for powerful creative effects.

Are filters dead?

Though you'll read in places that filters are dead in these times of digital photography, the advice usually assumes you are willing to merge 50 photographs to replace a single shot taken with a filter (as in the case of ND filters), or generally swap the use of filters for hours of post-processing work. I don't want to waste hard drive space or pollute my image catalog with thousands of redundant images. 

With black and white film photography, filters are more of a necessity. ND filters allow wider apertures to be used in sunny conditions because many film cameras have maximum shutter speeds in the region of 1/500th - 3 or 4 stops less latitude than a modern camera. Red filters are especially handy to add drama to landscapes, and Ilford still make infra-red sensitive film which, in combination with an IR filter, can make some stunning IR images that can't be matched by an un-modified digital.

Lastly, I use UV filters on most lenses to prevent damage to the front elements. That means if I wipe the lens with the bottom of my t-shirt (we all do it), I'm not running the risk of turning my vintage lens into a vintage paper weight. And who even uses paper weights?

What filters to carry?

• Circular polarizer. Helps reduce reflections from shiny surfaces (like reading glasses or windows) and can even be used as a 1.5-stop ND so you don't have to carry both.
• 10 stop ND filter. This is great for getting rid of moving people from a landscape, or really smooth out flowing water.
• Red filter. Darkens skies so we can pretend to be Ansel Adams taking a picture of Half-Dome.
• IR filter (680um). IR photography with Ilford SFX 200 film. 

Step-up rings and adapters

When you have a collection of lenses it doesn't make financial sense to have a set of filters for each thread size or type. I've found the most efficient set up is to use filters that are the size of your largest lens, and use step-up rings for smaller lenses. 

Talking of step-up rings - I don't use a series of rings like you usually see for sale (e.g. 58-62mm, 62-67mm, 67-72mm, 72-77mm etc.), instead I use a set in which each size goes directly to 77mm (e.g. 58-77mm, 62-77mm, 67-77mm etc.). I couldn't find a 43-77mm step-up ring for my PEN FT lenses, so I use a 43-58mm as an intermediate.

The same mentality applies to adapters - I use a B50 to 77mm adapter to get filters onto my Hasselblad 500 lenses. This is handy for specialty filters like infra-red, but I also use regular B50 filters at times when the filters are likely to stay on the lens for more than one shot (like UV or polarizing filters).

Filter case accessories

Along with the 77mm filters, I carry a lens cloth and some filter wrenches because filters and their adapters seem always to stick together at an inconvenient time. To prevent unscrewing issues, I never fully tighten the filters. 

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, I write the filter factor of all the filters on their lens caps using masking tape. The 10-stop ND might be self explanatory, but I always forget how many stops my polarizer or red filter soaks up. 

View fullsize

View fullsize

Camera Kit: Large format 4x5

Large format seems like an extinct branch of photography to the uninitiated, but the format never went away. Actually, it is finding a new wave of appreciation among film photographers. There are a few reasons for the resurgence - there is no digital equivalent sensor size, nor is there a digital camera body capable of tilts, shifts, swings, rises and falls (with the exception of some specialty lenses). Used equipment is found online in abundance, and some entrepreneurs are even making new cameras such as the Intrepid Camera Company, Stenopeika and others. 

The jump to large format

As for major changes in your photography workflow, the jump from digital to film is the biggest. You need to find a lab or learn to develop film yourself and then either scan the negative  or darkroom print your images. Most people will start with either 35mm cameras (because they are the most similar to consumer digital cameras) or medium format systems such as the Hasselblad 500 (because the cameras work in the same way as 35mm ones). 

The jump from small to large format film is a little easier. With large format, a few things change. Firstly you no longer need to get emotionally attached to a single manufacturer. You can pair anyone's lenses with anyone's bodies and choose any film holders for the negative size you have chosen. For bodies, you can choose between studio monorail systems which are the cheapest way to get going down the rabbit hole, or fold-able field cameras that have more restricted movements, but can fit in a backpack.

There are also a few extra pieces of kit your smaller camera systems may not have needed - lens boards, sheet film holders, a focus loupe and a dark cloth. Tripods and cable releases are no longer optional - you are going to need them to get even basic shots.

What is it good for?

• Taking one photograph really well. This process is the antithesis of 'spray and pray'. A lot of time is spent picking and tinkering with the composition. It takes so long to set the camera up that you don't want to waste that time on a mediocre image.

• Tilts and shifts by design. And rises and falls, too. The cameras are made to move the lens around for perspective control and plane of focus manipulation. 

• MASSIVE negatives. They dwarf the grain even in 400 speed film.

What's the compromise?

• Large format is not small. No way are these cameras going to fit in your pocket. Or small bag. Not even a medium bag. With a monorail camera, even a large bag is often insufficient. The compact Intrepid camera, on the other hand, easily fits in a backpack with a couple of lenses.

• Forget about a quick snapshot. By the time the camera is set up, focused, shutter cocked and film holder inserted, a good deal of time will have passed. If you have a human subject, you have to keep their attention during setup and focusing or else there will be some long silences.

• Lots of lens research required. You need to figure out which lenses cover your negative, and if you want extra coverage to accommodate small or large movements on the camera. Fast lenses allow for easier focusing via a bright image, but slower lenses are siginificantly smaller and lighter.  You also need to make sure your body can cope with ultra-wide angles (75mm or less) or very long lenses (300mm or more) or if it needs special bellows or lens boards to cope with them. A great list of lens stats to get you going can be found  at www.largeformatphotography.info.

What's in my camera bag?

• Cameras: Intrepid 4x5 folding field camera

• Lenses: Schnider 65mm f5.6, Schnider 90mm f5.6, Calumet 150mm f5.6, Rodenstock 210mm f5.6, Rodenstock 300mm f9

• Accessories: Lens board for each lens, film holders (9), focusing cloth, cable release

Camera Kit: 35mm SLRs, the M42 mount

35mm film is a tricky one to recommend to people wanting to transition form digital photography. Modern digital sensors cover this film size and the files can be modified to simulate the look of film, with all the convenience that digital offers. If you were to dive into the world of film, I would recommend either medium format or large format for the main reason that they have no digital equivalent (digital medium format is still not as large as even a small traditional medium format - I wrote more about that in a previous post). That said, there are still a few compelling reasons to shoot 35mm film...

What is it good for?

• A very cheap way to shoot film. Actually, it might be the cheapest way to shoot 'full frame' 35mm photos period, given that a good digital camera costs so much up front (cheapest "full-frame" is a Canon 6d1 for $1100 refurbished at time of writing). Used film cameras can be found online or in thrift stores for $20-40 and black and white film can be found for $5. Developing at home reduces costs significantly. 
• It is familiar. 35mm is a modern standard from which we reference other formats (e.g. crop factors, focal length equivelents). There is almost no learning curve when transitioning from digital, assuming you have knowledge about exposure.
• Easily available. When 35mm became affordable to the masses, they were sold in great quantities. The result is that there are many used/vintage.antique cameras available for very low prices today. 
• Inter-compatibility. In the large format days, you could use any manufacturer's lens on any other manufacturer's body. Medium format brought with it propriety lens mounts and this is still the case with 35mm. However, one mount slipped through the net - M42 screw mount. It wasn't completely universal, but was used by more than one brand including Praktica, Pentax and Zenit.
• Lenses can be adapted to modern cameras. Nikon's film 35mm lenses can still be used on many of their digital bodies today. Canon's FD mount and M42 lenses can be adapted for use on Canon DSLRs and many mirror-less cameras because their mirror boxes are shorter than the lens' native mounts. 

What's the compromise?

• Digital 35mm cameras exist. And they can replicate the film look very well. But that takes a lot of post-processing. If you want to commit to the film look, shooting film makes life easier.
• The cameras are heavy. They might look smaller than modern digital cameras, but they are often all-metal and hefty. The lenses are built so well they have a weight penalty, too.

What's in my camera bag?

• Cameras: Praktica MTL 3, Pentax Spotmatic SPII, Ricoh Singlex TLS
• Lenses: Super-Takumar 35mm f3.5, Pentacon 50mm f1.8, Industar 50-2 50mm f3.5, Helios 44-2 58mm f2.0, Sears 135mm f2.8,
• Accessories: Macro tubes, tele-converter, cable release

Camera Kit: Half frame 35mm Olympus Pen

The Olympus Pen ticked a couple of feature boxes when it was released in the 1960s. It was smaller than regular reflex cameras, and it doubled the number of shots you could fit on regular 35mm film by using a half-frame format similar to how motion-picture is recorded to 35mm film. They almost look like a rangefinder camera, but retain the advantage of through the lens viewing. 

What is it good for?

• Economy. Having 72 shots on a roll of film has many advantages like packing less film on vacation, changing rolls less often and halving the cost of film.
• Experiments. Having lots of frames available reduces the relative cost of shooting film. So this is my go-to camera for testing shutter speeds for star trails, lightning, night shots or water motion. If any shots are visually appealing beyond their experiment value, they are still high enough quality for small prints or publishing on the web.
• Image orientation. With most cameras, landscape orientation is the default and I find 90% of my images are horizontal. Laziness or camera ergonomics are the reason, I guess. The Pen frame is in portrait by default and, surprise surprise, 90% of my images are vertical. It is good to switch things up.
• Size. This camera is only slightly smaller than a regular 35mm slr, but the lenses are also smaller. A Pen FT and 3 lenses fit in a small pouch making it a perfect kit for travel. 

What's the compromise?

• Image quality. With images half the size of  full-frame 35mm, the grain is amplified and the images look grittier. This could be desirable depending on your preferences, but it is very noticeable. This relegates the camera to experiments, test shots and non-critical work like vacation snapshots. 
• Focusing. The viewfinder is small and focusing is a bit trickier than using a camera with a larger mirror.

What's in my camera bag?

• Cameras: Olympus Pen FT, Olympus Pen FV, 
• Lenses: 25mm f2.8 Auto-W, 40mm f1.4 Auto-S, 100mm f5.6 Auto-T
• Accessories: 43mm 8x ND filter, 43mm circular polarizer, UV filter for each lens, cable release